Ooooops! It would appear that the "Create-Your-Own Prayer Mandala" links in the original email were not working. So sorry, my friends! Thanks for your patience and grace - take two!

Greetings Beloved Friends,

I pray you are well and easing back into the rhythms of fall. My garden is beginning to transition from tomatoes and cucumbers to green beans and carrots. I love seeing the miracle of God's creation unfolding before my eyes in new ways each day!

This October, I am excited to offer a new mini-retreat called "Create-you-own Prayer Mandala." Many of you know that coloring prayer mandalas has been an important part of my spiritual journey. Recently I have been expanding this creative practice by learning how to create personalized mandalas using symbols that are significant to my own faith journey. I would love to share this meaningful practice with you! Check out the details below and join me on October 28 for a morning of prayerful rest and creativity as you create-your-own mandala. If you can't join live via Zoom, you can participate any time using the recording that will be made available to all who register. I hope you can join us!

Here are a few other resources that I hope you will find both informational and inspirational - including some ideas for Advent for those who like to plan ahead! :-)

• Spouting Off Blog: Post-it Note Prayers
• Create-Your-Own Prayer Mandala - October 28
• Advent Planning - Praying with Picture Books mini-retreat (Dec. 9)
• Hildegard of Bingen Feast Day & Spelt Pancake Recipe

Later this month, I am delighted to serve as companion for 5 faith-filled individuals who will begin the 32-week long journey through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Walking alongside folks as they explore scripture, prayer and an ever-deepening relationship with Jesus is one of the highlights of my year. Would you please hold us in prayer as we embark upon this Ignatian Adventure together? Your prayers would be such a gift!

With strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Sharon

P.S. If you look closely at the mandala above you can find symbols that are significant to me like... whale tails, communion elements and garden vines. What symbols would you include in your own personalized prayer mandala?

Sharon Seyfarth Garner, Founder & Director

Belly of the Whale Ministries

sharon@bellyofthewhaleministries.net

SPOUTING OFF BLOG

Post-it note prayers

I recently rediscovered the magic of post-it notes! As part of a writing course, my mentors suggested that I create a storyboard by writing all the main ideas of my "under construction" book on post-it notes. Then, I was to create some order out of the chaos by moving the notes around in hopes that an outline for each chapter would emerge. It turned out to be both fun and extremely helpful for me to visualize externally what I already had a vision for internally.

I have now become quite smitten with post-it notes. I had forgotten how fun (and helpful!) it can be to write little reminders to myself and post them in all sorts of creative places. Initially, my notes were mostly practical reminders - water the garden, walk the dog, work on Whale Spouts...

Then it dawned on me that I could include prayerful reminders as well.. I now have post-it notes strewn all about the house ... on kitchen cabinets, bathroom mirrors, the car dashboard ... as reminders to pray. Some of the notes include names, events or scripture. A few simply have hearts on them as a reminder of God's abounding and steadfast love.

I have often said that prayer is simply "being with God on purpose." The post-it notes are helping me to do this - to be more purposeful and intentional about praying my way through the day. If you are looking for creative, new ways to remember to pray, give post-it note prayers a try and see if this new prayer practice just might stick!

CREATE-your-OWN PRAYER MANDALA

October 28, 2023

Join me for a relaxing morning to pray,

create, and color your own

personalized prayer mandala.

ADVENT PLANNING

For those of you planning ahead for Advent...

• FREE LEADER GUIDES on how to use my Advent book, Mandalas, Candles and Prayer: A Simply, Centered Advent are available on my website - for small groups, worship leaders, families and personal devotions. I hope you find them helpful.

• DECEMBER 9, 2023 (Sat) - Ease into the child-like wonder of the season through the wisdom of picture books. I have wanted to do a program like this for quite awhile and am excited to offer the first one this Advent - with hopefully more to come in the future! If you have a special Advent/Christmas picture book that you would like me to include, please let me know!

CELEBRATE ST. HILDEGARD OF BINGEN'S FEAST DAY

September 17, 2023

Hildegard of Bingen (1098 - 1179) was a woman before her time - a preacher, theologian, prolific author, composer, artist, healer, tender of the earth and feisty leader of several Benedictine abbeys that she founded. I have loved learning more and more about her over the years! Every year on St. Hildegard's Feast Day (Sept. 17) I make delicious spelt flour pancakes in her honor. She had a special place in her heart for spelt flour among many other food recommendations for healthy living. If you want to learn more about St. Hildegard and her amazing theological legacy, click here.